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Round 1
Women’s strawweights kick off festivities in South Africa, as Mugo
(5-2-1, 0-0 PFL) toes the line against Kiiza (3-1, 0-0 PFL) to open
the event. Ferdinand Basson draws the officiating assignment. Kiiza
refuses to touch gloves, and they get to work. Kiiza throws in
combination, both with kicks and punches, but fails to control
distance. Mugo clinches and secures a takedown, moving immediately
to the back. Kiiza rolls but winds up in full mount. She sweeps
into top position and drops ground-and-pound, mostly right hands.
Mugo sets off a scramble and maneuvers into full mount once more.
She transitions to the back. Absolutely frenetic pace here. Mugo
flirts with a face crank and moves to full mount. They scramble to
their feet. Mugo clinches and secured a body lock. They trade
punches at close range while jockeying for position. Ninety seconds
to go. Mugo pins her counterpart to the fence and unleashes a few
left hands before they separate. Kiiza connects with a spinning
backfist and backs it up with punches from both hands. Mugo
clinches and shoots a series of knees to the body. Another takedown
for Mugo, who lands in half guard and climbs to full mount. Kiiza
explodes into another sweep in the waning seconds.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kiiza
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Mugo
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Mugo
Round 2
Off they go for Round 2. They trade in the center of the cage. Mugo
close the distance and clinches. She secures a brief takedown but
cannot control Kiiza on the ground. Mugo gets another takedown and
mounts, only to get swept again. Kiiza snatches a headlock and
lands a series of right hands to the head. Mugo scrambles to the
back, mounts and gets reversed. Kiiza sets up in full guard. Mugo
scrambles into full mount and widens her hips. She rolls for an
armbar but loses position. She makes another pass at an armbar,
this one much closer, but fails to procure the submission. Kiiza
settles in full guard with roughly 90 seconds to go. She hammers
away with left hands, encouraged by her cornermen nearby. Mugo
sweeps into full mount and drops punches. Kiiza bucks but cannot
free herself. More punches from Mugo, who mixes in elbows and
hammerfists. She closes with a burst of punches.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Mugo
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Mugo
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Mugo
Round 3
Anyone’s fight at the start of the third round. Strong leg kick
from Kiiza. Mugo counters a wild spinning backfist with a powerful
right hook. She lands a succession of follow-up shots and drives
Kiiza to the ground, where she unleashes more punches. Mugo in side
control. She grinds away with elbows. Kiiza seems to be fading.
Mugo thinks about mount, nearly gets reversed and settles back into
side control. Hammerfists to the body mixed in with elbows to the
head. Mugo transitions to the back and hunts the choke before
slipping back to side control. Midway through the final round. Mugo
lands hammerfists to the face and continues to control her
opponent. Kiiza claims full guard but continues to eat punishment.
She kicks off Mungo and gets to her feet. Mugo clinches. Ninety
seconds on the clock. Mugo completes a takedown and climbs to
mount, withstands a scramble and takes a break. She drops punches
with both hands but gets reversed. Kiiza in top position with 10
seconds to go. Time runs out.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Mugo (29-28 Mugo)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Mugo (30-27 Mugo)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Mugo (30-27 Mugo)
The Official Result
Felista Mugo def. Annet Kiiza—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27,
30-26)
Round 1
Bantamweights are next to the stage, where Van Tonder (7-3, 0-1
PFL) collides with Tshitamba (6-5, 0-1 PFL) at 135 pounds. Rich
Mitchell administers the law and order. They greet each other with
a customary glove touch. Tshitamba commands the center and delivers
a hard low kick. Van Tonder circles on the outside. He lands a leg
kick of his own. Tshitamba answers with a body kick, then connects
with a one-two. Heavy body kick from Tshitamba. He follows a front
kick with a leg kick, then mixes in a jab. Front kick to the body
from Van Tonder. Tshitamba cuts off a takedown attempt and clinches
along the fence. Midway through the first round. Tshitamba shoots a
few knees to the body, then successfully defends a takedown.
Tshitamba lands an elbow and breaks into open space. He stomps the
thigh and flicks out his jab. Eye poke from Tshitamba gives Van
Tonder a respite and offers him a chance to reset. Mitchell issues
the warning and restarts them. Tshitamba far busier here. He
counters a leg kick with a one-two. Tshitamba follows a left hook
with a body kick, then a side kick to the solar plexus.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Tshitamba
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Tshitamba
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Tshitamba
Round 2
Van Tonder needs to switch gears if he wants to keep this
competitive. Tshitamba steps forward, jabs and connects with a
one-two. Van Tonder returns fire. No discernible advantage gained.
Front kick to the body from Tshitamba, followed by another. Van
Tonder counters a leg kick with a right hand over the top.
Tshitamba continues to attack the lead leg. Sharp jab from
Tshitamba followed by a body kick. Van Tonder goes nowhere with a
takedown attempt. Tshitamba lets his hands go and pins his opponent
to the fence. Van Tonder secures a takedown and hunts a guillotine.
Tshitamba gets back to his feet and starts swinging with both
hands. Leg kick from Tshitamba. Ninety seconds to go. Tshitamba
steps into a straight left. Van Tonder circles to the center of the
cage and dodges a left hook. Tshitamba upping the pressure late in
the round, retreats and jabs the body. Mult-strike volley from
Tshitamba. Van Tonder tries to fire back but finds only open
air.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Tshitamba
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Tshitamba
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Tshitamba
Round 3
Tshitamba seems to have a commanding lead entering the third round.
He shows no signs of playing it safe, though. He steps forward with
a body kick and eats one in returns. Van Tonder fails on a takedown
attempt and absorbs a series of power punches as a result.
Tshitamba clinches and lands punches and elbows upstairs. They
jockey for position along the fence. Tshitamba leans on Van Tonder,
forcing him to carry his weight. Fatigue a real issue for Van
Tonder. Mitchell warns them for inaction. Midway through the round.
Tshitamba fires knees to the legs and maneuvers behind his
opponent. More knees to the legs from Tshitamba. He then shoots one
to the head. Van Tonder rolls into a kimura and takes top position.
Tshitamba remains seated and reverses with a minute left on the
clock. Might be the last gasp for Van Tonder. Tshitamba drops
elbows and punches. Van Tonder hunts another kimura but goes
nowhere. Tshitamba postures, maintains position and bleeds the
remaining time off the clock.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Tshitamba (30-27 Tshitamba)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Tshitamba (30-27 Tshitamba)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Tshitamba (30-27
Tshitamba)
The Official Result
Asiashu Tshitamba def. Shannon Van Tonder—Unanimous Decision
(30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Round 1
They keep the undercard line moving with a featherweight tilt
pitting Lubaya (9-2, 0-1 PFL) against Yemba (5-1, 0-1 PFL) at 145
pounds. Bobby Karagiannidis steps in as the third man in the cage.
Lubaya active with kicks at the start. He works his way into the
clinch behind a near-trip and presses Yemba to the fence before
securing a takedown. Yemba gets to his feet without much trouble,
clinches and lands a few knees. Beautiful foot sweep from Lubaya.
Again, Yemba rises to his feet. Lubaya connects with an elbow over
the top as the jockey in the clinch. Midway through the first
round. Lubaya executes a throw and lands in top position. He stands
and whiffs on a right hand, allowing Yemba to return to a standing
position. Lubaya connects with a few left hands. Back they go to
the clinch. Ninety seconds left. Lubaya separates and delivers a
low kick, then another. Yemba answers with a jab, only to eat
another leg kick. He snatches the Thai clinch and scores with a
knee up the middle. Lubaya clinches with time running down. They
trade knees before the bell sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Lubaya
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Lubaya
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Lubaya
Round 2
They meet in the middle and trade. Yemba lands a low kick and
evades the return fire. Lubaya operating at a slower pace and
missing on the majority of his punches. Leg kick from Yemba. Lubaya
connects with a right hook and a low kick. Yemba answers with an
inside leg kick. Low kick from Lubaya. Not much rhythm from either
man. Yemba lands a knee from the clinch and separates. Lubaya
counters with a pair of rights, then swings and misses on a left
hook. He lands a knee to the body. Two minutes to go. Front kick to
the body from Yemba, followed by a few leg kicks. Lubaya responds
with an inside leg kick. They trade jabs. Yemba mixes in a jab and
a few knees to the body, followed by a leg kick. He snaps back
Lubaya’s head with a left hand. Inside leg kick from Yemba. They
clinch as the round closes.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Yemba
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Yemba
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Yemba
Round 3
Could be a round apiece here. Yemba jabs right out of the gate.
Lubaya stalks forward from his southpaw stance. Inside leg kick
from Yemba. Lubaya blocks a head kick. Yemba feeds him a jab.
Lubaya takes a deep breath and counters. More jabs from Yemba, who
lands a right hand over the top and follows it with a knee. Lubaya
whiffs on a takedown but lands a glancing right hand that draws
oohs and aahs from those in attendance. Front kick to the body from
Yemba, who seems to have turned the tide. He continues to find a
home with his jab, with blood now flowing from his counterpart’s
face. Yemba circles into open space, snatches a Thai clinch and
lands a knee to the body. Lubaya looks weary. Yemba pairs his jab
with an inside leg kick. Ninety seconds to go. Double jab from
Yemba. Inside leg kick from Lubaya. More jabs from Yemba, who
sidesteps a takedown attempt and makes Lubaya look foolish in the
process. Inside leg kick from Yemba. Lubaya moves forward but
misses on two right hands. Yemba clinches to close it out.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Yemba (29-28 Yemba)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Yemba (29-28 Yemba)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Yemba (29-28 Yemba)
The Official Result
Shadrick Dju Yemba def. Jean-Jacques Lubaya—Split Decision (29-28,
28-29, 29-28)
Round 1
Next on the docket: a lightweight clash matching Sankara (7-5, 1-1
PFL) with Cruz (3-0, 0-0 PFL) at 155 pounds. Basson adjudicates
matters. A glove touch gets them started. Cruz lands an inside leg
kick. Sankara circles on the outside and jabs. Front kick to the
body from Cruz. Another inside leg kick from Cruz. Slow start for
Sankara. He lands a body kick, resets and jabs. Sankara whiffs on a
jumping switch knee, then unleashes a one-two. Midway through the
round. Sankara doubles up on his jab, then connects with a leg
kick. Ninety seconds to go. Heavy body kick from Sankara. He backs
up Cruz with a one-two. Jab-cross from Sankara. Cruz presses
forward, walks into a knee and covers up in the face of a flurry.
Nothing of consequence lands for Sankara. They trade jabs. Sankara
lands a body kick before the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sankara
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Cruz
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Sankara
Round 2
Back to work in the middle stanza. Cruz takes the center. Bleeding
from a cut above his right brow, Sankara lands a body kick and
accidentally pokes his opponent in the eye. Cruz retreats in
noticeable pain. Replays show a knuckle-deep poke to the right eye,
along with an apparent low blow. Cruz still on one knee as the
cageside physician examines him. Basson waves it off, as the crowd
boos.
The Official Result
Aureo Cruz vs. Abdoul Razac Sankara—No Contest (Accidental Eye
Poke) 0:18 R2
Round 1
Welterweights now move into position, as Mohamed (4-0, 0-0 PFL)
takes on Samuel (3-0, 0-0 PFL) in the first of four PFL Africa
tournament quarterfinals at 170 pounds. Mitchell serves as the
referee. Samuel steps forward and takes the center of the cage. He
greets Mohamed with a front kick to the body, followed by a hard
low kick. Samuel lands a left hook to the body, snatches a Thai
clinch and fires a knee before separating. Mohamed connects with a
leg kick and follows it with a jab to the midsection. Samuel decks
his opponent with a right hook, allows him to stand and resets. He
lands a jab and keeps Mohamed in a state of retreat. Front kick to
the body from Samuel. He targets the body with right hooks, drops
Mohamed with a jab, allows him to stand and swarms him with
punches. Samuel clinches and executes a takedown and lands punches
with his counterpart in a kneeling position.
He advances to the back, sets his hooks and batters Mohamed with
punches. Samuel weaves his arms into place for the rear-naked
choke, tightens his squeeze and produces the
tapout.
The Official Result
David Samuel def. Abdelrahman Mohamed—Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
4:03 R1
Round 1
Attention now returns to the women’s strawweight division, where
Ukah (8-0, 2-0 PFL) awaits Osigwe (5-3, 0-0 PFL) at 115 pounds.
Karagiannidis oversees the action. Away they go. Ukah opens with a
body kick and stalks forward from the southpaw stance. Inside leg
kick from Osigwe. Side kick to the body from Ukah, who pressures
her opponent backward and cuts loose with punches from both hands.
Body kick from Ukah, followed by a right hook upstairs. She lands a
body kick and shrugs off an attempted takedown. Stout one-two from
Ukah, who continues to lead the dance. She counters with a right
hook and lands a body kick. Osigwe mostly swinging at air and looks
very much like someone who’s playing to her adversary’s strengths.
She fires knees from the clinch. Ukah breaks free and lets her
hands go. She follows with an inside leg kick and eats a right hand
over the top. A minute left in the round. Ukah steps into a left
hand and pins Osigwe to the fence with punches. Inside leg kick
from Osigwe. Ukah clings to a front headlock in the closing seconds
and absorbs an elbow before trading shots until the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ukah
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Ukah
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ukah
Round 2
Ukah marches to the center and picks up where she left off. Body
kick from Osigwe. Ukah counters with a right hook. Osigwe lands a
sweeping left hook and sets off a wild exchange between the two.
Ukah connects with a left kick of her own. Osigwe lands a low blow,
resulting in a brief pause to the action. She fires off leg kicks
on the restart. Ukah content to pressure her from the outside.
Osigwe clinches and presses her opponent to the fence. She lands a
few hammerfists to the knee. Ukah separates and moves back to the
center. Inside leg kick from Osigwe. They clinch again. Ukah
separates. Midway through the round. Oblique kick to the lead leg
from Osigwe. Ukah steps into several right hands and avoids an
elbow on the break. Osigwe connects with a body kick and duck into
a clinch. Ukah boxes the ears and the side of the head. Osigwe
answers with an elbow over the top. They separate with roughly 20
seconds to go. They exchange blows at the end of the round.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ukah
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Ukah
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ukah
Round 3
Osigwe probably facing an uphill climb with five minutes left. Ukah
again commands the center. She lands a side kick to the body and
narrowly misses a head kick. Osigwe looks to counter without much
luck. Body kick from Ukah. Osigwe lands a body kick, then separates
and resets. Ukah back to the center. Strong body kick from Ukah.
She follows it with a multi-punch volley. Midway through the final
round. Ukah connects with a counter right hand. Output has dwindled
for both women. Ukah lands an inside leg kick. Osigwe answers with
one of her own. An eye poke from Osigwe pauses the action and looks
to be near tears at having fouled her opponent. She gets a warning
from the referee before the restart. They trade kicks. Osigwe lands
a right hook and sets off a brief but wild exchange between the two
parties. Less than a minute left. Ukah stays at a safe range as her
opponent misses with a series of kicks. They clinch in the closing
seconds and exchange shots until the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ukah (30-27 Ukah)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Ukah (30-27 Ukah)
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ukah (30-27 Ukah)
The Official Result
Juliet Ukah def. Jane Osigwe—Split Decision (30-27, 27-30,
29-28)
Round 1
Business picks up with the last of the PFL Africa welterweight
tournament quarterfinals, as N’Tchala (14-2-1, 3-0 PFL) confronts
Nguphane (8-3, 0-0 PFL) at 170 pounds. Karagiannidis steps in as
the third man in the cage. No glove touch. N’Tchala opens with a
few leg kicks, then unleashes a one-two. Nguphane shields himself
effectively. He answers with a body kick. N’Tchala continues to
attack the lower extremities with kicks. Nguhane narrowly misses a
head kick. They clinch. N’Tchala fires knees to the body and drives
his opponent to the fence, then goes to work on a potential
takedown. He distracts Nguphane with knees to the legs. Action
stalls. Two minutes to go. Crowd grows restless as the referee asks
for more offense. N’Tchala clings to a body lock with 90 seconds
left. Referee restarts them in the center of the cage. They trade
clubbing shots. N’Tchala connects on the counter, avoids a head
kick and lands a right hook to the ribs. They clinch again, with
both men trying and failing to secure takedowns. Not much happening
at close range. They separate with 10 seconds left. N’Tchala lands
a spinning back kick to the body.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 N’Tchala
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 N’Tchala
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 N’Tchala
Round 2
Off they go in the middle stanza. Thudding body kick from Nguphane.
N’Tchala sprawls on a takedown attempt and forces his opponent to
clinch. He secures an outside trip takedown. Nguphane gets to his
feet without much trouble. They clinch again. A few boos from the
crowd. N’Tchala presses his opponent into the fence, lands a few
shoulder strikes and works knees to the legs and stomps to the
feet. Nguphane answers with knees to the body. Nguphane powers into
top position after successfully defending a trip. He grabs a front
headlock in the subsequent scramble and slams a few knees into
N’Tchala’s head. Midway through the round. Strong knee to the body
from Nguphane, then another. N’Tchala hangs onto the clinch but not
doing much else. Ninety seconds to go. Nguphane reverses another
takedown into top position and cuts loose with ground-and-pound. He
targets the body and head, all while he keeps N’Tchala grounded. He
grapevines the legs to further secure his position. More punches
land. Strong close to the round for Nguphane.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nguphane
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Nguphane
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Nguphane
Round 3
Result still in doubt here as they start the third round. Nguphane
opens with a one-two and clinches along the fence. Body kick from
N’Tchala. Nguphane closes the distance and shoots on a double-leg.
N’Tchala defends. Again they clinch against the cage. Nguphane
leans into his opponent and lands a few short punches. He drags
N’Tchala to the mat and cuts loose with punches. Nguphane sets up
in half guard midway through the round. He connects with a few
elbows, as he picks his shots. Ninety seconds to go. Nguphane still
in half guard landing punches. He mixes in knees to the ribcage.
Subtle but brutal stuff from Nguphane, who has taken control of
this fight. He shuts down N’Tchala’s bid to get back to his feet
and milks the remaining time off the clock while climbing to full
mount with elbows.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nguphane (29-28 Nguphane)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Nguphane (29-28 Nguphane)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Nguphane (29-28 Nguphane)
The Official Result
Peace Nguphane def. Yabna N’Tchala—Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)
Round 1
Bantamweights close the show in the headliner, as Ndebele (11-3,
3-0 PFL) squares off with Clemente (7-1, 0-0 PFL) at 135 pounds.
Mitchell serves as the referee. They touch gloves to start and
trade leg kicks. Clemente connects with a counter left hook and
zeroes on the inside of the lead leg with kicks. Ndebele counters
with a right hook and snaps the Italian’s head sideways. Sharp
one-two from Ndebele. Clemente pressures forward with punches and
low kicks. Ndebele steps into a three-punch volley and lands an
accidental low blow, resulting in a brief pause to the action.
Clemente lands a leg kick on the restart and answers a low kick
from his opponent with a left hook. Ndebele fires off a few leg
kicks. They clinch. Ndebele slams home an elbow and a knee. Ninety
seconds left. Ndebele drags the underdog to the mat and sets up in
half guard. Ndebele stands, throws an axe kick to the body and
separates. Ndebele steps into a knee, then clinches. Seconds tick
away with the two men engaged with each other along the fence.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ndebele
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Ndebele
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Ndebele
Round 2
Clemente lands an inside leg kick, retreats under return fire and
resets. He flurries with punches, drives into the clinch and nearly
secures a takedown. Ndebele refuses to stay down, scrambles to his
feet and lures the Italian into the clinch. They separate, then
clinch again. Ndebele lands an elbow at close range. Three minutes
to go in the round. Ndebele works into open space and connects with
a right hook. He steps into a knee strike to the body. Sharp
one-two from Ndebele. Clemente clinches, then separates. He briefly
secures a takedown, but Ndebele immediately scrambles to his feet.
Ninety seconds on the clock. Ndebele circles off the fence and
connects with an elbow. He buckles Clemente’s knees with a left
hook. The hard-nosed Italian steadies himself and maneuvers behind
Ndebele, who switches positions and hits a late takedown.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ndebele
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Ndebele
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Ndebele
Round 3
Ndebele in control, as they prepare for the final five minutes. He
paws with his jab and lands a side kick to the knee. Clemente gives
ground and eats a kick to the body. Ndebele walks his opponent into
a short-range elbow, targets the body with another kick and
connects with a jab. He follows a one-two with a knee up the
middle, then clinches. Clemente losing valuable time here. Ndebele
cuts off a takedown with a front headlock and drags his counterpart
to the mat before transitioning to side control. Two minutes to go.
Ndebele lands knees to the ribs. He maintains a dominant position
while landing punches to the body. Ndebele postures and drops
punches from a standing position, then dives back into side
control. Clemente makes a pass at an armbar and a kneebar, setting
off a scramble. Back on the feet, Ndebele connects with a knee.
They separate and Ndebele lands with both hands, then closes with a
foot sweep.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ndebele (30-27 Ndebele)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Ndebele (30-27 Ndebele)
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Ndebele (30-27 Ndebele)
The Official Result
Nkosi Ndebele def. Michele Clemente—Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)